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178 

.Ctr 



REPORT 



OF THE 



C O M M ITTEE 

ON 

ED U C ATI O N 



Transmitting to the One Hundred and 
Forty-Third Session of the New Jersey 
Legislature the findings, judgments and 
recommendations of the committee 
relative to the study and revision of 
the State School Law, as authorized 
and directed under a resolution adopted 
by the One Hundred and Forty-Second 
House of Assembly of New Jersey. 



January Twenty-Eighth, 
Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen 



R E PO RT 



OF THE 



C O M M ITTEE 

ON 

ED U C ATI O N 



Transmitting to the One Hundred and 
Forty-Third Session of the New Jersey 
Legislature the findings, judgments and 
recommendations of the committee 
relative to the study and revision of 
the State School Law, as authorized 
and directed under a resolution adopted 
by the One Hundred and Forty-Second 
House of Assembly of New Jersey. 



January Twenty-Eighth, 
Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen 



•jilt 



The Modern Print Shop 
Trenton, N. J. 



0. « f D ' 

,..I'R 25 1919 



To the Speaker and the Members of the One Hundred and 
Forty-Third Session of the New Jersey House of 
Assembly: 

Your Committee on Education, appointed by the One 
Hundred and Forty-Second Session of the New Jersey 
House of Assembly, to study the school laws of New Jer- 
sey, and to make a survey of school conditions generally 
in the state, herewith makes a report of its findings, con- 
clusions and recommendations pursuant to the instructions 
set forth in a resolution adopted by the One Hundred and 
Forty-Second House of Assembly which authorized the 
acts of the committee. 

Immediately after the adjournment of the One Hundred 
and Forty-Second Session of the New Jersey House of As- 
sembly the members of the committee, Assemblymen John 
E. Gill, of Mercer, chairman ; Arthur Whitney, of Morris ; 
Ralph V. Kellam, of Camden ; Philip S. Wilson, of Sussex, 
and E. P. Stout, of Hudson, met and organized. Marvin 
A. Riley was selected as executive secretary and Miss 
Sadie L. Ziegler as stenographic secretary. 

While many suggestions for the improvement of our 
schools were submitted to the committee, we wish to say, 
however, that we found a system of public schools generally 
admired throughout the educational world. We sincerely 
record our pride in the attainments of the schools of our 
state, being fully encouraged in the belief that New Jersey 
is entitled to and will support the best public schools in 
America. 



Advisory Committee for Expert Assistance. 

For the purpose of having readily available expert ad- 
vice and assistance in its work, the committee has selected 
an Advisory Committee from the following: 

Senate Committee on Education, 

State Board of Education, 

State Teachers' Association, 

State Department of Public Instruction, 
\ State Federation of Labor, 

City Superintendents, 

County Superintendents, 

Federated Boards of School Districts, 

High and Grammar School Principals, 

Normal School Principals, 

Private Schools, 

Helping Teachers, 

State Department of Health, 

The State House Commission. 

Twenty-One Conferences Held. 

The committee held twenty-one conferences. Fifteen 
of these conferences were with special committees rep- 
resenting municipalities, districts or other units within 
the borders of the state, and groups of men and women 
interested in matters pertaining to education. Six formal 
conferences were held in the State House as follows : 
September 14 — County Superintendents. 
September 21 — City Superintendents. 
October 5 — Principals of the High and Grammar 

Schools of the State. 
November 16 — State Department of Public Instruction, 
Normal School Principals and Helping 
Teachers. 
November 23 — Representatives of the 4,000 members 
of the District School Boards of the State. 
December 7 — State Board of Education. 

Many Subjects Studied and Investigated. 

The committee made two visits to Washington, D. C, 
where conferences were held with the Federal Vocational 



Board for the purpose of studying the new federal vo- 
cational law. 

The committee visited Albany twice, where, as the guests 
of the New York educational authorities, the new school 
Americanization legislation of that state was considered 
at length. 

The committee visited various counties in the state for 
the purpose of observing and studying the operation of 
the Pierson Physical Training Act. 

The committee made numerous district visitations for 
the purpose of studying the effectiveness of the school 
medical inspection law. 

The committee visited the summer schools to study the 
methods in operation and the results attained. 

The committee investigated conditions in this state rela- 
tive to the teaching of children in foreign languages. 

The committee investigated the work of the evening 
schools for foreign-born residents. 

The committee investigated vocational and manual 
training in the schools of this state. 

The committee investigated the problem of the con- 
solidation of rural schools. 

The committee has investigated the question of edu- 
cational supervision of the playgrounds of the state. 

The committee has investigated the problem of the ap- 
portionment of school funds. 

Survey of State for Interested Educators. 

The committee made a survey of the state for the pur- 
pose of ascertaining the names of men and women who 
were known to be interested in the subject of education, 
and whose suggestions would be valuable in the work of 
the committee, which contemplated a revision of the school 
laws to meet present and future requirements. To the list 
of names thus carefully secured and compiled, more than 
6,000 pieces of literature have been sent, and in reply more 
than 200 concrete recommendations have been received, 
classified and filed. More than 1,000 communications have 
been received discussing school problems and displaying 
a vital interest in the matter of a revision of the school laws. 



Every formal conference of the committee has been ad- 
dressed by experts in education who discussed matters of 
special interest in connection with the work of the com- 
mittee. 

War Has Changed Educational Viewpoints. 

In the earliest stages of its work the committee became 
convinced that the war had completely changed many exist- 
ing educational viewpoints and that, in view of this 
definitely established fact, it would be both unwise and 
premature to submit to the One Hundred and Forty-third 
Session of the Legislature a complete revision of the state 
school laws. The vast importance of all matters connected 
with education in New Jersey, in the opinion of the com- 
mittee, demands that further study be given in order that 
ultimate action by the Legislature may be such as to meet 
the requirements of the future, and such requirements can- 
not be determined until the opportunity has been afforded 
to study the conditions that will exist during the next year 
as a result of the war. 

It is believed that the State of New Jersey is now face 
to face with its greatest opportunity for development. No 
municipality, state or nation can develop beyond its stand- 
ard of education, and, therefore, this committee is firmly 
convinced that the greatest wisdom, vision and judgment 
should be exercised in the establishment of a standard of 
education in New Jersey that will enable the state to utilize 
to the uttermost the opportunity for progress and develop- 
ment that is now waiting. 

Trend of World Thought on Education. 

Some idea of the trend of world thought on education 
can be had from the fact that the government of England 
has had a clear and convincing vision of the necessity for 
a more liberal school policy, which has been practically 
demonstrated by that government in appropriating 
$49,000,000 more for school disbursement during the pres- 
ent fiscal year than in any previous year in the history of 
England. The great war has awakened the world to the 



deficiencies of educational systems, and wise nations and 
wise states will meet the conditions thus exposed with 
courage and intelligence. 

War Reveals Startling Illiteracy. 

The American nation has been startled to learn of the 
almost unbelievable number of young men who were sent 
to naval stations and army cantonments, and after examin- 
ation found to be unable to read or write. In the first draft 
21% were unable to read and write English; in the second, 
25%; and in the third draft, 33%. Consequently it became 
necessary to establish schools in cantonments and naval 
stations and behind the trenches to do the elementary work 
in education that should have been compulsory in our pub- 
lic schools. According to federal statistics there are seven 
million of people in the United States above the age of ten 
who are English illiterates. In New Jersey, according to 
the last census, there were 113,000 illiterates. 

Alarming Condition of Health of Nation. 

We also have ample cause to be alarmed at the condition 
of the health of the nation as disclosed by the examinations 
conducted by the medical boards in connection with the 
draft. One-third of the young men sent to cantonments 
between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-one years were 
rejected because of physical unfitness. There can never be 
the desired national or state efficiency without endurance, 
and there can be no endurance without physical fitness, 
therefore, the problem of the health of the state is one that 
must be met immediately, and such legislation must be en- 
acted as will provide a remedy for the appalling condition 
now fully shown to exist within our state, and which is so 
deadly a menace to our future happiness and prosperity. 

That the federal government has been aroused by the 
reported health conditions is demonstrated by the intro- 
duction of a bill by Congressman Horatio C. Claypool, of 
Ohio, which provides for federal aid to states for the elim- 
ination of the evils that are so rapidly undermining the 
health of the nation. This bill authorizes the appropria- 



tion of $4,000,000 to be apportioned among the states on the 
basis of population. 

Reference should also be made to the Hoke Smith bill 
which provides for $100,000,000 for educational expansion, 
$20,000,000 of which is to be appropriated to the states for 
physical education and health service for the children in 
schools and for adults. 

Physical Training Work Commended. 

While the committee cannot discuss in this brief report 
any great number of important matters which it has in- 
vestigated, it does, however, desire to express its strongest 
commendation of the results secured through the opera- 
tion of the Pierson Physical Training Act. The value of 
compulsory physical training in all public schools of the 
state has been fully justified in the first year of the work 
under the requirements of the Pierson Act. Better work 
has been done by the pupils ; there has been a greater and 
more enthusiastic application to studies ; the general health 
of the students has been much improved — all of which can 
be largely attributed to the enforcement of physical train- 
ing at stated periods during the school day. 

Vocational and Manual Training. 

The committee is firmly convinced of the necessity for 
a survey of what has been and is being accomplished in 
vocational training for which the state is receiving federal 
aid under the Smith-Hughes act. The committee is im- 
pressed with the value of vocational training, and with the 
great advantages to the state that might be derived from 
it, but is of the opinion that these possible advantages have 
not yet been secured. 

In view of the growing financial demands for manual 
training work,, which this year amounts to a request for 
$372,000 from the state, and the common belief that the re- 
sults are not commensurate with such expenditures, we 
would recommend that a complete survey of the work and 
a study of the methods of administration be made. This 
recommendation should not be construed as meaning that 

8 



the committee does not appreciate the value of manual 
training work, but the committee is of the opinion that it 
should be operated under a more economic system. 

State's Blind Have Been Neglected. 

In the course of the work of the committee it has been 
disclosed that the state appears to have sadly neglected 
giving proper attention to its blind, and we, therefore, 
recommend that a survey be made with the object in view 
of determining how many blind persons there are in the 
state of teachable age. The committee is fully cognizant 
of the fact that under existing laws the care of the blind is 
the responsibility of the Department of Charities and Cor- 
rections, However, there can be no claim of justice in the 
apparent discrimination as between the care of the blind 
and the care of the deaf. The committee does not consider 
the present method of caring for the blind of teachable age 
either efficient, economic or just to those unfortunates. 

Helping Teachers. 

The committee was deeply interested in the work of the 
helping teachers. Every report received indicates a help- 
fulness most vital to the successful operation of the schools 
of New Jersey. An enlargement of this phase of school 
work and increased compensation should be considered by 
this legislature. 

State in Harmony With Committee Work. 

Hearty, enthusiastic and intelligent co-operation with 
the committee has been continuously manifested by all per- 
sons in the state interested in the subject of education and 
who desire that New Jersey shall have a system of schools 
unsurpassed by any other state in the nation. The com- 
mittee has practically conducted an open forum through 
which has been established perfect harmony between it and 
all educational boards, bodies and factions in the state. It 
is thoroughly comprehended that the sole purpose of the 
work of the committee is to provide such betterments to the 
present school system as will enable the state to measure 



up to the fullest responsibility of its duties and obligations 
in the period of reconstruction into which the state and 
nation are entering, and which will demand the greatest in- 
tellectual resources that can be commanded and developed 
if the problems, upon which the future happiness and pros- 
perity of the country depend, are to be successfully solved. 
Time was not available for the committee to give due 
and intelligent consideration to all of the educational sug- 
gestions. Following are a few of those which were dis- 
cussed in detail at conference : 

Some Suggestions Received by Committee. 

Re-training and re-education of soldiers and sailors 
maimed in the war and not otherwise provided for. 

Re-education and re-training of maimed workers in in- 
dustries. 

Americanization of both public and private schools. 

Use of only the English language for elementary educa- 
tion in the schools of the state ; use of the English language 
as the sole medium of instruction. 

Extension of the work in the evening schools for 
foreign-born residents. 

Comprehensive health law for the schools. 
Educational supervision of playgrounds of the state. 
Manual training and its relative worth. 
Increasing popularity of vocational education. 
Extension of the work of helping teachers. 
Medical inspection. 
Modified tenure of office. 
Women on state board. 
Pensions and retirement funds. 
Consolidation of rural schools. 
Better teaching facilities in rural schools. 
Apportionment of school funds. 
Revision of transportation law. 

Placing Normal and other state schools under the super- 
vision of the Commissioner of Education. 

10 



More definite laws as to the duties and powers of state 
school officers. 

Revision of building code. 

Increased state school tax for more liberal school 
policy. 

Day nurseries in connection with city schools. 

Salaries for teachers that will compare with compensa- 
tion in other activities. 

Enfranchising women on all school questions. 

Compulsory continuation schools. 

Adequate compulsory education law and its enforce- 
ment. 

School budgets. 

General state administration. 

Commercial education. 

District nurses. 

Child hygiene. 

Yearly school census. 

Supervision of teachers. 

Revision of all books of history used in the schools of 
the state for the purpose of eliminating any ideals of Ger- 
man military power. 

Specific legislation pertaining to powers of county and 
city superintendents. 

Duties of assistant commissioners. 

Payment of expenses of all school officers under state 
supervision by the state rather than by county boards of 
freeholders. 

Election of members of all local school boards. 

Simplifying and reducing courses of study. 

New Jersey school administration building. 

Auxiliary normal schools in cities. 

Courses in civics in grammar and high schools. 

Place all educational work in correctional and charitable 
institutions under the Department of Public Instruction. 

11 



Subnormal and defective pupils. 
Dental clinics. 
State elementary tests. 
Working certificates. 

State supervision and certification of private schools. 
Military training in schools. 
Summer physical demonstration at Sea Girt. 
Uniform textbooks. 
State printing its own textbooks. 
County as the school unit. 
Restricted corporal punishment. 

Factory and corporation schools under state super- 
vision. 

Financial independence of boards of education. 

State and county attendance officers. 

Size of school boards. 

Habitual tardiness. 

Need and efficiency of summer schools. 

These questions indicate that the educators of the state 
are alive to the needs of the school system in this most 
critical period in the history of the country. It must ap- 
peal to the most casual observer that many of these sub- 
jects are such as demand careful, grave and mature con- 
sideration if the result is to be beneficial legislation that 
will endure. 

Continuance of Committee Recommended. 

The committee, therefore, has decided to recommend for 
action by the One Hundred and Forty- Third Session of 
the Legislature only such matters as, in its opinion, must 
have immediate legislative attention, and, further, that 
your honorable body requests the concurrence of the Senate 
in the continuance of this committee until the convening of 
the One Hundred and Forty-Fourth Legislature, at which 
time a complete revision of the school laws will be sub- 
mitted for approval. The committee recommends that an 

12 

I 



appropriation, adequate to meet the expenses of the work, 
be authorized, and that the committee be given power to 
make such investigation and secure the services of such ex- 
perts as may, in its judgment, be necessary to the sucess- 
ful accomplishment of its task. 

Legislation for Immediate Action. 

Your committee respectfully recommends legislative en- 
actment by the One Hundred and Forty-Third Session of 
the Legislature relative to the following subjects, and will 
present bills for introduction in this House of Assembly 
expressing the thought and the judgment of your com- 
mittee in connection therewith and based on a careful an- 
alysis of the facts and conditions that make action at this 
time imperative: 

The Americanization of the schools of the state. 

The re-education and re-training of maimed soldiers 
and sailors, and workers in industries not otherwise pro- 
vided for by federal legislation. 

Health. 

Transportation of pupils. 

State administration of schools. 

Educational supervision of playgrounds. 

Membership of school boards. 

Adequate compensation for helping teachers. 

Yearly school census. 

Permanent Educational Committee Recommended. 

In view of the fact that the State of New Jersey has 
more than $80,000,000 invested in school property and is 
annually disbursing $22,000,000 for the maintenance of 
these schools, together with the constantly increasing im- 
portance and magnitude of our school affairs, and in view 
of the almost endless number of suggestions that were 
presented to the committee during this one year of its 
school survey, we most emphatically recommend that, in 
the future, there be annually a joint legislative committee 
on education to co-operate with the State Board of Edu- 
cation, with positive instructions to such committee that 

13 



will assure a yearly survey of the schools and a report to 
be presented to the Legislature at the opening of the sub- 
sequent session, and further that there shall be annually 
authorized an appropriation adequate to defray the ex- 
penses of such work. 

Submitted this twenty-eighth day of January, one thou- 
sand nine hundred and nineteen, as directed by a resolu- 
tion adopted by the One Hundred and Forty-Second House 
of Assembly. 

John E. Gill, Chairman, 
Arthur Whitney, 
Ralph V. Kellam, 
Philip S. Wilson, 
Edward P. Stout, 
Assembly Committee on Education. 

14 



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